The present invention relates to stands for hammocks and, in particular, to hammock stands having simulated bamboo components.
Hammocks are a popular home and recreational accessories. In the past the hammocks have been primarily supported between permanently fixed locations such as trees, posts, walls or the like. For use where such support structure is not available, freestanding support stands have been increasingly available as representatively disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 944,661 to Buck, U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,845 to Hsu, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,994 to Barmettler. These stands are formed using standard tubular materials, can be disassembled and transported to varying locations. Specialized components can be incorporated to provide styling variations to the basic support as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,873 to Wolf and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,994 to Barmettler.
Other commercially available stands have features elaborate iron grillwork and laminated beams for making the stand an independent design statement. Such embellishments are costly, and more difficult to transport. Recently, hammock stands use a triple bar type construction have become popular, as representatively shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,302 to Anderson. Therein a pair of transverse leg assemblies support upwardly diverging that are interconnected with a longitudinal base tube to provide a rigid self supporting framework. Support hooks are attached to the upper ends of the support tubes and a hammock attached thereto and suspended therebetween.
In view of the strength and safety considerations for the foregoing hammock stand construction, the components are typically formed of heavy gage steel tubing. The stands are available in a variety of painted, textured and brushed finishes to provide a weather resistance suitable for outdoor use. The dxc3xa9cor of the stand, however, is generally secondary to styling of the hammock wherein woven ropes, wooden spreader bars and accessories are available in wide variety. In view of the foregoing limitations, it would be desirable to provide a hammock stand formed in shapes and styles not entirely dictated by the underlying components.
Hammocks are warm weather recreational and relaxation equipment, evoking a tropical environment and the associated lifestyle. Attendant accessories oftentimes expand on the theme, using wicker, rattan, and like materials for chairs, rockers, footrests, swings and the like. Highly synonymous with this setting is bamboo-based construction wherein natural and replicated bamboo materials are used in the construction and decoration of accessory products.
The present invention provides a hammock stand that affords a simulated bamboo appearance, without sacrificing the strength, durability and safety of conventional, freestanding hammock stands. Herein, the conventional tubular stand is enhanced with structural accents in the form of replications of bamboo culms including nodes, sheath scars and internodes, spatially configured and coated to replicate and connote the unique features of their natural counterparts. Such features are achieved by providing periodically along the length of the tubular components conically flared and styled nodal areas formed of a formable polymeric coating that is bonded to the outer surface of the component. A preferable coating is a flowable thixoptropic material such as polyurethane, polyester, polyurea and hybrid mixtures. Commercially available formulations used in auto body repair, such as Bondo Body Filler, are well suited for adherence to the tubes, detailing before curing, and satisfactory cured strength. A typical node will have a generally conical flare terminating at a transition band with a succeeding internode section of the simulated culm. The nodes are provided with longitudinal indentations of sheath-scars, the locus of a detached leaf. The molded tube is primed and base coated with a primary bamboo color, streaked longitudinally to accent rib striates, with the nodal transitions highlighted with accent colors indicative of natural contrasts. The resulting hammock stand, with the faux bamboo contours and colorations, captures the exotic and mystical aura of tropical settings.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to enhance of styling of triple beam hammock stands.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tubular hammock stand having a faux bamboo finish.
A further object of the invention is to provide faux bamboo tubular articles by integrally forming periodic flaring nodal areas connected with internodal tubular area, and finishing with coloration replicating natural bamboo materials.